1. Field of the invention.
The invention relates to a fishing apparatus and in particular to a side-planing river trolling device.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problems.
Sport angling is a popular pastime. Increasingly greater number of people are now enjoying the sport of fishing. Many people use small boats and others fish from the sides of streams or lakes.
A problem plaguing many fishermen is the problem of casting a lure or bait sufficiently far from shore so that it is placed in the vicinity of the fish. Additionally, undesirable conditions may exist in stream or river fishing when the lure is cast by an angler situated on the bank of the stream. The lure tends to drive downstream until the line is substantially aligned with the direction of the water movement and the lure thus is ultimately placed too close to the bank to be most effective.
In situations where a number of people are trolling from a small boat, it is easy for the lines of the trollers to become entangled. Thus it is also desirable to have a means by which the bait or lures could be placed at a distance from the boat without facing the inherent tangling problem.
A number of devices have been devised to assist anglers in casting including various floats and the like. Some devices employ the motive power of moving water passing by the fisherman, whether in a boat or alongside a stream. These devices primarily are used to float the bait or lure out into a particular position in the water whereby the fisherman can increase the distance of his cast by the use of such devices. Unfortunately, the prior art floats suffer from a number of definite drawbacks.
Prior art fishing floats, current corks, and what have been called fishing kites generally do not allow the angler to have a fine-tuned control of the device so that the lure or bait can be placed where desired. They generally do not either provide sufficient buoyancy, fail to have trip flags or other visual indicators that a fish has taken the bait or lure, fail to have sufficient line tension adjustment, and fail to provide positive means of releasing the line when the fish strikes.
Examples of fishing floats, kites, trolling devices, and the like can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,461,115 issued July 24, 1984 to Carrillo, 4,464,858 issued Aug. 14, 1984 to Wright, 3,464,142 issued Sept. 2, 1969 to Hubbart, 2,862,326 issued Dec. 2, 1958 to Minera, 3,760,762 issued Sept. 22, 1973 to Spongberg, 3,318,038 issued May 9, 1967 to Delsol, 809,965 issued Jan. 16, 1906 to Lystne, 3,044,208 issued July 17, 1962 to Minera, and 3,216,147 issued Nov. 9, 1965 to Minera.
Very few devices in the known art relate to a fishing apparatus having two hulls and none known are directed to providing fishing devices having two air-filled hulls and providing a trip flag along with a fine adjustment line tension and positive control whereby the angler can control the placement of the device and the lure or bait with precision.
Accordingly, a need exists for an angling device that would provide a convenient method for precise placement of fishing lures and baits whether angling from a boat or on shore in rivers, streams, or lakes. Such a device would provide a simple, inexpensive apparatus that could enhance the fishing capability of the user by allowing the user to place the fishing lure in a natural setting even at some distance from the angler. Such a device should be easily controlled, have a fine-tune adjustment of the line tension, provide a visual indicator that a fish has taken the lure, and provide for a positive, easily used and adjusted line release. The instant invention is directed to all of these needs as well as to others as explained in the following summary.